Free Incarnatio by Lynn Viehl Page A

say a word to warn her friends and save her life.
    A car pulled up beside
him, and he got out and went around it to the driver’s side. The woman
behind the wheel was short, plump and middle-aged, with a tired but kind
face. She stopped hunting through her purse when she saw him, and then
stared at his chest. “My lord, but you’re a mess. Were you in an accident,
honey?”
    Jamys glanced down; he’d
forgotten the dried blood on his garments, now covered with bits of the
shattered windshield as well. He held out his hand, and when she took it he
released his scent and spoke in her mind. I
need you to make a phone call for me.
    She nodded, smiling as
she got out of her car, and walked slowly to the booth. He touched her once
more to give her the number, and then took out his pad and pen and began to
write.
    Chapter Six
    Samantha was waiting for
the Dutch inspector to fax over the credit card receipt used to purchase all
the seats on the flight Carcher had taken from Belgium to Florida when her
phone rang. She saw the number displayed by caller ID, hesitated, and then
picked up the receiver. “I’m almost finished here, Lucan.”
    “Glad I am to hear it,”
he said. “I am enjoying a myriad of spanking fantasies now. If that is all
you wished to tell me, you needn’t rendezvous with me. Just go up to the
penthouse and wait. I shall be along shortly.”
    “What are you talking
about, rendezvous?”
    “Burke gave me your
message, from when you called earlier.”
    She frowned. “I didn’t
call you.”
    “This small piece of
paper says that you did, and you wished to meet me in the bar at midnight.”
    “Lucan, I never called or
left that message.”
    “Give me a moment.” Lucan
then called for his tresora .
    Sam tucked the receiver
between her cheek and shoulder as she pulled on her jacket.
    “Darling,” Lucan said,
“Transfer me over to Rafael if you would.”
    “He’s still out hunting
Jamys.” She switched the receiver from one ear to the other. “Who does Burke
say left that message?”
    “You need not concern
yourself with—”
    “Fluffing me off hasn’t
worked since I was human,” she reminded him. “Tell me.”
    “As you wish.” Lucan
sighed. “Burke swears on a stack of good books that he spoke to you an hour
ago.”
    “An hour ago I was on the
phone with Europe,” she said. “Nice people, the Dutch. Very helpful.”
    “Burke must have made a
mistake.” Lucan sounded remarkably unconcerned.
    Sam knew Lucan’s tresora , his most
trusted human servant, didn’t make mistakes. Not only had Burke and his
family had been in service to the Darkyn for centuries, but he took his
duties very seriously. He was also utterly devoted to Lucan, and would have
set himself on fire before he allowed anyone to get at the suzerain.
    Which was what was
happening. Someone was trying to get to Lucan, and he knew it, and he didn’t
want her to know about it. Sam could hear it in his voice. “Ask Burke what
line the call came in on.”
    Lucan did, and then said
to her, “The main number to my office downstairs.”
    Which Sam never used. She
grabbed her car keys. “I want you out there. Now.”
    “I think not.” Lucan’s
drawl took on a hard, cold edge. “I shall deal with this. You will stay
downtown.” He hung up before she could tell him to go to hell.
    Sam dialed Rafael’s
number as she hurried out to the employee parking lot. As soon as he
answered, she said, “Someone pretending to be me is meeting Lucan at the
club at midnight. How far away are you?”
    “We are at young Chris’s
apartment.”
    She unlocked and jerked
open her car door. “Tell her to stay there and meet me at Infusion . Now.”
    “Chris is gone, and so is
her vehicle,” Rafael said. “Jamys Durand’s scent is all over the apartment.”
    Sam froze. “He took her
from the apartment?”
    “That or she invited him
in and left willing with him,” her partner said.